TODAY’S GAME: The Houston Astros (19-28) will play the final game of their seven-game homestand today as they go for a sweep in the first round of the Silver Boot Series, presented by the Texas Lottery, against the in-state rival Texas Rangers (21-24).
RHP Peter Lambert (2-3, 2.76 ERA), a minor league free agent signing this offseason, will get the start for Houston today opposite veteran starter RHP Nathan Eovaldi (4-4, 4.15 ERA) and the Rangers.
DRIVING THE LAMBO: Today’s Astros starter RHP Peter
Lambert has been great in his five starts for the Astros, going 2-3 with a 2.76 ERA (9ER/29.1IP) with 29 strikeouts and a .198 opponent average. His advanced metrics back up his counting stats, as he ranks in the 78th percentile in barrel % (5.2), 74th percentile in xBA (.221), and 71st percentile of whiff % (28.2).
Lambert pitched last year for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in the NPB, posting a 3.98 ERA (55ER/124.1IP) with 111 strikeouts in 23 appearances in Japan.
He began this season at Triple A Sugar Land (1.84 ERA in three appearances) before being called up to join the rotation on April 17.
SWEEPSTAKES: The Astros have won five straight games against the Rangers dating back to last season, which includes a three-game series sweep in Houston from Sept. 15-17, 2025.
The Astros are looking for their second sweep of the season, the first being a three-game sweep of the Red Sox from March 30-April 1 at Daikin Park.
THE SILVER BOOT SERIES: The Astros and Rangers have played each other 294 times in the regular season in their franchise histories, with the Astros edging out the Rangers in the all-time advantage 148-146.
Recently, the Astros have had the upper hand, winning or splitting nine straight season series, going 95-51 against the Rangers since the start of the 2017 season.
ALTUVE SIDELINED: 2B Jose Altuve left last night’s game with left side soreness. He is scheduled to receive imaging today.
LEADING MEN: Last night, 2B Jose Altuve connected for his 42nd career leadoff homer, which ranks second in franchise history, trailing only 2B Craig Biggio (53).
The Astros have a long history of leadoff homers, between Biggio, Altuve, OF George Springer (40), and others, with the team combining for 228 leadoff homers in franchise history, which ranks second in the Majors since their inception in 1962, trailing only the Tigers (230).
FOUR LONG BALLS: The Astros recorded their third four-homer game of the season last night, last doing so on May 8 at CIN.
All four homers last night came off RHP Jacob deGrom, tying the most home runs he’s allowed in a start in his illustrious career (also, July 7, 2017 at STL).
SOLO HOMER SATURDAY NIGHT: The Astros blasted four solo homers last night en route to a 4-1 series-clinching win over the visiting Rangers. 2B Jose Altuve began the night with a leadoff homer and was later joined by DH Yordan Alvarez, 1B Christian Walker and RF Zach Cole in the solo homer parade.
RHP Kai-Wei Teng (0ER/5IP) had a scoreless start, earning the victory, while RHP Bryan Abreu (0ER/1.1IP) picked up the save.
AIR YORDAN: DH Yordan Alvarez is batting .322 (55×171) with 11 doubles, 15 HR, 31 RBI and a 1.078 OPS (.429 OBP/.649 SLG).
In the AL, he ranks first in total bases (111), first in XBH (26), first in OBP, second in OPS, second in SLG, third in hits, third in batting average, tied for third in HR, tied for third in RBI, tied for eighth in walks (29), and tied for ninth in runs (30).
WALKER, TEXAS HAMMER: 1B Christian Walker hit his 10th homer of the season last night, which ranks tied for third among AL first baseman, tied with 1B Ben Rice (10) and trailing only 1B Munetaka Murakami (17).
Among all AL players in 2026, Walker ranks tied for fifth in RBI (30), sixth in extra-base hits (21), eighth in total bases (88), and eighth in SLG (.521).
CLIMBING THE CHARTS: 2B Jose Altuve connected for his 239th career homer as a second baseman last night, which tied him with Lou Whitaker for seventh place all-time in MLB history among second basemen.
Additionally, earlier this week, Altuve reached the 900-RBI mark, making him the fifth player in club history to reach that number.
TAP THE HELMET: Astros batters lead the Majors in successful ABS challenges with 30 won in 52 total challenges (58% successful). 2B Jose Altuve leads all Major League players in challenges won, as he’s won nine of 13 challenges (69% successful).
POWER STROKE: OF Zach Cole has hit seven home runs in his first 26 Major League games, including 15 games last season and 11 in 2026.
He’s one of just three players in club history to do so, joining DH Yordan Alvarez (9 in 2019) and SS Carlos Correa (7 in 2015).
OUT ON REHAB: SS Jeremy Peña (rt. hamstring strain), CF Jake Meyers (rt. oblique strain) and LHP Josh Hader (lt. biceps tendinitis) are on rehab assignments for Double A Corpus Christi, while RHP Nate Pearson (rt. elbow surgery) is on assignment with Triple A Sugar Land.
Last night, Peña went 1×4 with a double in a start at shortstop, and Meyers went 0x4 with a run scored.
Hader and Pearson both had the night off after tossing 1.0 scoreless inning each on Friday night.
TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 1963 – RHP Don Nottebart tosses the first no-hitter in Astros history, a 4-1 win over Philadelphia at Colt Stadium. C John Bateman is behind the dish for the feat.
The Astros have now thrown 16 regular season no-hitters in their franchise history, which dates back to 1962.
Since the club’s inaugural year, no team has thrown more, with the Angels and Dodgers ranking second on that list with 13.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Sunday, May 17, 1:10 p.m. CT
Location: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
TV: Space City Home Network
Streaming: SCHN+
Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
